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Islanders reach provincial podium on home turf

Richmond captures bronze at Intermediate "A" Championships
Islanders softball
Richmond Islanders captured bronze at last weekend's Provincial Intermediate "A" Softball Championships. The feat came exactly six years after the team won its first provincial medal at the Senior B" level.

A podium finish for the hometown Islanders highlighted the results as the Richmond Girls Softball Association hosted the 2019 Provincial Senior “A” and Intermediate “A” Championships last weekend at the Steveston-London Softball Complex.

This is the highest level of competitive ball in the province for women 19 and older.

With wins over the South Surrey-White Rock Thunder and Legends, Al Groff’s Islanders secured the No. 2 seed at the conclusion of round-robin play after the two game round-robin in the six-team Intermediate “A” Division. 

A come-from-behind victory over the Delta Spirit sent Richmond into Sunday morning’s semi-final.

The impressive run ended with a loss to SVEE — a team from the Strawberry Vale area in Victoria and the eventual gold medalist. The Islanders had a chance to fight their way back into the championship game but came on the short end in a high-scoring affair against the Thunder.

The bronze medal achievement came exactly six years after Groff’s team won provincial silver in its first year at the Senior “B” level.

In the Senior “A” Division, Delta Heat defeated the New West Kaos for the gold medal. 

Highlights of the weekend included Kaos player/coach and hall-of-famer Deb Tidy outing up after a year absence to pitch in two occasions in games leading to the final. 

The Heat feature many players that won national titles at the youth level in 1997 and 1998. Surrey Storm took third place.

A busy championship month at Steveston-London concludes with this weekend’s Provincial Senior “B” Women’s Championships, starting on Friday night. Local entries include Islanders-Strohan and the Mustangs.